Great Crosby Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Great Crosby Catholic Primary School The Northern Road, Sefton, Crosby, Liverpool, Merseyside L23 2RQ

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Outcome

Great Crosby Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, at Great Crosby Catholic Primary School enjoy coming to school. They are kind and considerate towards each other. They describe school as a ‘happy place’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have designed and put in place an ambitious curriculum that is delivered well by staff. This enables all pupils to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have clearly set out their expectations for pupils’ conduct. Pupils follow school routines closely and they show a mature attitude towards their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils and their families well. Parents and carers recognise this and they describe the school as a ‘family’. Pupils are confident that staff will listen to any concerns or anxieties that they have. This helps them to feel safe. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying swiftly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide ample opportunities for pupils to widen their horizons and develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils enjoy clubs such as musical theatre, gymnastics and choir practice. Older pupils are keen to take on positions of responsibility, such as acting as a mental health champion.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are ambitious for what they want pupils to achieve, including pupils with SEND. To this end, leaders have designed an aspirational curriculum to give all pupils the knowledge and skills they need to be successful.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils, including children in the early years, to know and remember. The curriculum in the early years prepares children well for key stage 1. Staff with the responsibility for leading subjects are highly 1 and 2 March 2023

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knowledgeable. They have received appropriate training to help them to design curriculums well.

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For the most part, teachers have the subject knowledge that they need to provide clear explanations and design appropriate activities for pupils. Teachers check carefully what pupils have learned and understood. Staff are skilled at identifying and addressing pupils’ misconceptions. They provide extra help for those pupils who need it. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to revisit earlier learning. This helps pupils to connect new learning to what they know already.

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Leaders have put reading at the heart of the curriculum and ensured that there is a consistent approach to delivering the phonics programme. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start in the Reception class. Staff ensure that pupils read books that closely match the sounds that they have learned. Staff support those pupils who find reading more difficult to catch up quickly with their peers. For the most part, staff are equipped well to deliver the phonics programme with confidence. However, on occasion, a small number of staff do not deliver aspects of this programme as leaders intend. This hinders a small number of pupils in becoming confident and fluent readers as quickly as they should.

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Most pupils in key stage 2 enjoy reading. They are eager to give an account of the story and the characters in their favourite books. Teachers read to pupils regularly. They choose texts carefully to enhance subject curriculums and develop pupils’ social awareness. Children in the early years enjoy listening to stories and singing songs.

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Leaders work with staff and parents effectively to identify swiftly any pupils who may have SEND. These pupils receive timely and appropriate support to allow them to learn the full curriculum with their peers. Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life. They achieve well.

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Pupils behave sensibly in school. For example, pupils in the early years learn how to line up for their lunch and tidy away afterwards. Pupils are keen to have their positive behaviours recognised by staff. Added to this, pupils are encouraged by teachers to reflect on their actions when they do not meet leaders’ high expectations. Learning in lessons is rarely interrupted.

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Leaders ensure that pupils learn about the city in which they live and the world around them. They learn about treating everyone with respect and dignity. Pupils learn about British values. For example, they are appointed as representatives on the school council, having pitched their ideas in a democratic process. As part of pupils’ wider development, leaders ensure that they are informed well about a range of different career paths.

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Governors support and challenge leaders to develop further the quality of education for pupils. They are knowledgeable about leaders’ key priorities. Staff are proud to work at this school. They appreciate the efforts of school leaders and governors to look after their well-being. Leaders have engaged with staff effectively to reduce their workload. 1 and 2 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular and up-to-date safeguarding training. All staff know how to recognise the signs that indicate that a child may be at risk of harm. They know how to report their concerns about a pupil.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that comprehensive and accurate records are kept of any safeguarding concerns. They work effectively with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families get the help they need quickly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves and their friends safe. They know how to be safe when using the road and when swimming. They are aware of the benefits and dangers of being online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small number of staff do not deliver some aspects of the phonics programme as leaders intend. This is preventing some pupils from becoming confident and fluent readers as quickly as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff are equipped well to deliver the phonics programme successfully.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 1 and 2 March 2023

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 1 and 2 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256195 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.greatcrosbycatholicprimary.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 December 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders make use of one registered alternative education provider for a small number of pupils.  The school is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in November 2018.

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Information about this inspection

 This is the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other members of the senior leadership team and the special educational needs coordinator. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative from the local authority and the Archdiocese of Liverpool.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. Inspectors met with subject leaders, visited some lessons, 1 and 2 March 2023

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looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and teachers. The lead inspector also discussed the curriculum in other subjects with leaders.  Inspectors reviewed a range of evidence, including leaders’ self-evaluation document, improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s safeguarding policy and records. They spoke with staff about their responsibility to ensure the safety of all pupils.  Inspectors spoke to many pupils about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, and the responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys.  The lead inspector observed pupils in key stages 1 and 2 read to a trusted adult.  Inspectors spoke to staff to discuss leaders’ support for their well-being and workload.

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Inspection team

Niamh Howlett, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Pamela Potter Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 March 2023

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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